Anatech Electronics November 2025 Newsletter

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Sam Benzacar, of Anatech Electronics, an RF and microwave filter company, has published his November 2025 Newsletter that, along with timely news items, features his short op-ed titled "AM Radio Isn't Dead Yet." In it, he asserts that contrary to widespread narratives of AM radio's imminent demise, data reveals the medium is not collapsing but adapting. The 8-13% decline in stations since 1990 reflects market adjustments, not systemic failure. AM maintains strong listenership in rural and mountainous regions where geography limits FM reception, with radio overall outperforming television among adults 18-49. Station closures follow local market dynamics rather than national trends, with both AM and FM experiencing similar attrition rates in oversaturated markets. AM radio continues to serve essential functions where its superior coverage area remains technologically irreplaceable.

A Word from Sam Benzacar - AM Radio Isn't Dead Yet

By Sam Benzacar

The notion that AM radio is nearing extinction has become a well-worn storyline, amplified by widely reported station closures, personal anecdotes, and ongoing uncertainty about the medium's future in new automobiles. These impressions create a sense that AM is collapsing nationwide. Yet when the data is examined in detail, a very different picture emerges.

A review of long-term licensing trends shows that the decline in AM station numbers is modest when viewed in historical context. From its peak around 1990, the total number of AM stations in the U.S. has fallen by only a few hundred - somewhere between 400 and 630, depending on the source. That translates to a decline of only 8 to 13% over 35 years. Annual fluctuations in license counts for both AM and FM have remained under 1% since the early 1990s. FM license losses briefly exceeded those of AM around 2020, without triggering dire predictions about FM's future.

Nielsen's newly published AM reach statistics by designated market area (DMA) reveal that certain regions still rely heavily on AM broadcasting, particularly were geography limits FM reception. Rural and mountainous markets often depend on AM's superior coverage area, and some of these DMAs maintain stable or even robust AM audiences. Conversely, markets with high-profile station closures, such as Bangor, Maine, are among those that struggle with both AM and FM.

Radio's position within the broader media landscape remains stronger than many assume. Among adults aged 18 to 49, radio reaches roughly 12% more listeners than television, a surprising fact in an era dominated by streaming and mobile media. Advertising revenue continues to outpace the podcast sector in total ad receipts, demonstrating the medium's sustained commercial relevance. The combined strength of radio suggests that any negative assumptions about AM would require disproportionately dominant FM performance to justify claims of imminent decline.

Patterns of station attrition reinforce the idea that local market dynamics—rather than a nationwide crisis—drive the closures. Larger markets, which often host more stations than they can economically support, show higher rates of both AM and FM shutdowns. Smaller markets continue to rely heavily on AM, especially where FM signals are inconsistent or terrain-limited.

The lack of DMA-level advertising revenue data for AM remains a notable gap; however, the evidence supports the conclusion that AM radio is not dying but rather is adjusting to shifting local market conditions. In regions that depend on long-range, reliable broadcasting, it remains secure.

T-Mobile Using Starlink for Emergency Service 

If you lose cell service, reaching emergency help is now easier thanks to new satellite messaging options from Apple, Google, and T-Mobile. T-Mobile has made its T-Satellite emergency texting free for everyone, regardless of carrier, and it works on most smartphones made in the last four years without special satellite hardware. The service connects directly to Starlink satellites, enabling Text-to-911 on both iPhone and Android devices, even when cellular or Wi-Fi coverage is unavailable. Initially launched for basic messaging and emergency assistance, T-Satellite now also supports limited in-app data for voice and video calls through services like WhatsApp.

Nvidia, Nokia Form 6G Partnership 

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has unveiled a partnership with Nokia aimed at integrating advanced AI technologies into mobile network infrastructure and preparing operators for 6G. As part of the agreement, Nvidia will invest $1 billion in Nokia, and the collaboration provides Nokia with access to Nvidia's AI-RAN portfolio, which leverages AI to enhance spectral efficiency and enable AI-driven functions directly at the network edge. The technology also supports cloud-based AI processing for wireless communications, expanding how operators can deploy AI across their networks. 

Skyworks and Qorvo to Merge in $22B Deal 

Skyworks Solutions and Qorvo have agreed to merge in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at about $22 billion, creating a major U.S. player in RF, analog, and mixed-signal technologies. The combined company will expand its reach across defense, aerospace, automotive, and mobile markets while targeting more than $500 million in annual cost synergies through improved factory utilization and streamlined domestic manufacturing. The merger is expected to close in early 2027. 

MIT Scientists Double the Precision of Atomic Clocks 

MIT researchers say they have found a method to significantly improve the accuracy of optical atomic clocks by suppressing the quantum noise that limits their precision. Atomic clocks measure time by locking lasers to the rapid vibrations of atoms—cesium atoms, for example, oscillate more than 10 billion times per second. But quantum fluctuations create microscopic static that prevents Precise measurements. Using a new technique called global phase spectroscopy, the MIT team was able to filter out much of that noise, yielding cleaner signals and effectively doubling the clocks' precision. 

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About Anatech Electronics

Anatech Electronics, Inc. (AEI) specializes in the design and manufacture of standard and custom RF and microwave filters and other passive components and subsystems employed in commercial, industrial, and aerospace and applications. Products are available from an operating frequency range of 10 kHz to 30 GHz and include cavity, ceramic, crystal, LC, and surface acoustic wave (SAW), as well as power combiners/dividers, duplexers and diplexers, directional couplers, terminations, attenuators, circulators, EMI filters, and lightning arrestors. The company's custom products and capabilities are available at www.anatechelectronics.com.

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